PERMANENT MANDIBULAR SECOND MOLAR

INTRODUCTION

 The mandibular second molar is smaller than the first molar by a fraction of a
millimeter in all dimensions.
 The crown has 4 well-developed cusps, two buccal and two lingual, of nearly equal
development.
 Neither a distal nor a fifth cusp is evident but the distobuccal cusp is larger than that
found on the first molar.
 The tooth has two well-developed roots, one mesial and one

 The mandibular second molar supplements the first molar in grinding food.

CHRONOLOGY
First evidence of calcification 2 ½ to 3 years

Enamel completed
7 to 8 years
Eruption
11 to 13 years
Root completed
14 to 15 years

BUCCAL ASPECT

 Geometric form-Trapezoidal

Mesial and distal

outline  Convex
 Contact areas- middle of the middle third

Occlusal outline  Formed by flattened cusp ridges of the 2 buccal cusps

  The cusps are divided by the buccal developmental groove
 Outlines of the lingual cusps can be seen

Cervical outline  May be straight or dipping apically near the bifurcation

Buccal surface  Convex

 Crown is shorter than 1st molar
 Buccal surface is formed by the 2 buccal cusps -
mesiobuccal and distobuccal
 Buccal cusps are flat
 Cervical ridge is not as pronounced
 Grooves-
Buccal groove-Between the 2 buccal cusps
-extends only to the occlusal third
ROOT  2 roots are seen -mesial and distal root
 roots are inclined distally in relation to the occlusal plane
of the crown
 their axes forming more of an acute angle with the
occlusal plane than is found on the first molar

LINGUAL ASPECT
  Geometric outline-trapezoidal
 Crown converges lingually but to a lesser degree
Mesial, distal and  Similar
cervical outlines

Occlusal outline  Formed by the sharp cusp tips of lingual cusps

 They are separated by lingual developmental groove
Lingual surface  nearly as wide as the buccal surface
 tooth does not converge much towards the lingual aspect
 Mesiolingual and distolingual cusps are of equal width
 Cusps are sharper than the buccal cusps
 Groove- lingual developmental groove
-separates the two lingual cusps
-runs for a short distance onto the lingual surface

MESIAL ASPECT

 Geometric outline- rhomboidal

 Whole crown has a lingual tilt in relation to the root axis
 2 cusps are 1 root seen-mesiobuccal and mesiolingual cusp and mesial root

Buccal outline  Convex in cervical third and then flattens till buccal cusp
 Crest of curvature-Cervical third
  Cervical ridge is less pronounced

Lingual outline  Convex

 Crest of this curvature- middle third.

Occlusal outline  Concave

 formed by a mesial marginal ridge and mesial cusp ridges
of mesiobuccal and mesiolingual cusp
 Mesiolingual cusp tip is at a higher level
Cervical outline  Straight and regular

Mesial surface  Smoothly convex, except for near cervical line where there
is a shallow concavity
 Only mesiobuccal and mesiolingual cusps can be seen
 Mesial contact area
-Centre of the crown buccolingually and cervico-
apically
ROOT  Mesial root is somewhat pointed apically
 If part of buccal root is seen it is seen buccally

DISTAL ASPECT
 Buccal, lingual  Similar
and cervical
outlines

Occlusal outline  Distal marginal ridge is at a lower level than mesial

marginal ridge
Cervical outline  Straight

Distal surface  Distobuccal and distolingual cusps are seen

 Smoothly convex
 Distal contact area- Centre of the crown buccolingually
and cervico-apically

OCCLUSAL ASPECT

 Geometric outline-Rectangular
 Occlusal surface  4 cusps
 Cusps-Mesiobuccal, distobuccal, mesiolingual and
distolingual cusp
 Size-Mesiolingual cusp=distobuccal cusp
 Buccal cusps are usually flattened and the lingual cusps
are sharp

Ridges  Triangular ridge

 -Each cusp has its own triangular ridge
- All the triangular ridges converge towards the
centre
 Mesial and distal marginal ridges-Well developed and
makes the base of the respective marginal ridges
Grooves  Groove pattern forms a typical plus mark ‘+’ or a cross
 Central developmental groove
-Originates in the centre of central fossa
-mesially extends to mesial pit
-distally extends to distal pit
 Buccal developmental groove-
-Starts from the central pit
-Extends buccally between the mesiobuccal
and distobuccal cusps in a buccal pit
 Lingual developmental groove-
-Extends from the central pit lingually
-extends lingually, between the mesiolingual
and distolingual cusps
 Supplementary grooves
Pits  Central pit
 Mesial and distal pit- Pinpoint depressions at the junctions
in the mesial and distal triangular fossa respectively
Fossa  2 fossae-Equal in size and may contain supplementary
grooves
 Mesial triangular fossa-distal to the mesial triangular ridge
 Distal triangular fossa--Mesial to the distal marginal ridge
 ROOTS
Number  2-Mesial and distal root
Size  Shorter than the 1st molar roots
Form  Short root trunk
 Mesial and distal root-closely spaced
 Nearly parallel to each other
 roots may be fused for all or part of their length
 Apex of the roots are pointed
 Both roots have deep developmental depressions on their
mesial and distal surfaces